Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) today announced it has finished engineering for the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated display system (IDS) upgrade on the Beech 1900D. The company has already begun the first installation at its Wichita service center, and it plans to start a second installation in July. It expects to finish the first article and gain system certification over the summer. HBS claims that “a number” of Beech 1900 operators have expressed interest in an IDS upgrade.

“The combination of safety, reliability and reduced operating costs provides Beech 1900 operators with an excellent option to upgrade their cockpits and provide a path for future growth,” said Christi Tannahill, Hawker Beechcraft vice president of global customer support.

According to HBS, customers can “significantly” reduce operating costs by coupling the system's Pro Line 21 new-equipment warranty with a two-year Rockwell Collins warranty known as Corporate Aircraft Service Program (Casp). At no additional cost, Casp supplements the system's new-equipment warranty by covering all previously installed Rockwell Collins avionics equipment. Aircraft undergoing this HBS-installed upgrade will incur virtually zero avionics operating costs during the first two years after installation.

The flexibility of Pro Line 21 IDS allows it to interface seamlessly with existing and future technology and regulatory requirements, according to HBS. Common interface options include third-party TCAS, Taws and lightning detection systems, as well as Rockwell Collins APS-65 autopilot and Waas/LPV-compliant flight management systems such as Garmin's GNS 400W and Universal's UNS-1LW.